zBernie has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

The script below analyzes a fax log file, and shows the number of entries sent on a given day, and also the number of pages sent on that day. It increments a counter by 1 ($faxctr) and keeps a running total of the number of pages sent each day ($pagectr). The number of faxes per day is accurate, but the pages are usually off by 1 or 2. I'm almost certain there must be a more perlish approach to this problem, perhaps incrementing elements of a hash. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Here's the output of the script below: 
: 1, Pages: 6
04/26: 9, Pages: 72
04/25: 9, Pages: 31
04/24: 17, Pages: 30
04/23: 14, Pages: 42
04/22: 21, Pages: 43
04/19: 17, Pages: 36

[download]
#!/usr/bin/perl

use warnings 'all';
use strict;
use diagnostics;
use Data::Dumper;



my $lastdate = "";
my $faxctr = 1;
my $pagectr = 1;
my $state = 1;
my $ipagectr;

my @lines = <DATA>;
shift(@lines);

foreach my $line (@lines) {

  $line =~ s/\"//g;

  my ($reqid, $date, $time, $pages, $pages_sent, $client, $phone) = sp
+lit('\s+',$line);

  if ($state eq 1) {
    my $ipagectr = $pages;
  }

  if ($date ne $lastdate) {
    $pagectr += $pages;
    $pagectr += $pages + $ipagectr if ($ipagectr gt 0);
    print "$lastdate: $faxctr, Pages: $pagectr\n";
    $faxctr = 1;
    $pagectr = 1;
    $ipagectr = 0;
  }
  else {
    $faxctr++;
    $pagectr += $pages;
    $state = 0;
  }

  $lastdate = $date;

}


__DATA__
Req-id  -Submitted-  npg nps  Clientid Phone number     Attmpt Result 
+att
8502    04/26 13:07    5   5  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8501    04/26 12:28    3   3  custserv 8456341521       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8500    04/26 12:26    2   2  accounti 856-853-0146     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8499    04/26 12:00    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8498    04/26 11:15    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8497    04/26 11:04    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8496    04/26 10:44    8   8  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8495    04/26 10:41   50  50  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8494    04/26 08:55    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8493    04/25 17:38    2   2  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8492    04/25 17:18    2   2  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8491    04/25 15:59    2   2  county   18622428101      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8490    04/25 14:34    2   2  accounti 856-428-5092     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8489    04/25 14:27   14  14  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8488    04/25 11:24    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8487    04/25 11:14    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8486    04/25 10:44    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8485    04/25 09:02    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8484    04/24 17:58    2   2  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8483    04/24 16:01    1   1  vsifax   609-538-0145     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8482    04/24 15:55    2   2  vsifax   609-538-0145     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8481    04/24 15:47    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8480    04/24 15:44    2   2  vsifax   609-538-0145     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8479    04/24 15:03    1   1  accounti 609-538-0145     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8478    04/24 14:23    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8477    04/24 14:07    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8476    04/24 13:19    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8475    04/24 11:51    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8474    04/24 10:42    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8473    04/24 10:02    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8472    04/24 09:33    2   2  njtax    717-735-0548     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8471    04/24 09:07    1   1  county   17325770328      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8470    04/24 08:36    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8469    04/24 08:33    2   2  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8468    04/24 08:26    2   2  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8467    04/23 17:14    2   2  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8466    04/23 14:24    8   8  county   9083530697       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8465    04/23 14:18    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8464    04/23 13:23    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8463    04/23 13:16    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8462    04/23 13:14    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8461    04/23 12:04    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8460    04/23 11:44    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8459    04/23 10:09    1   1  county   17325770328      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8458    04/23 09:59    3   3  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8457    04/23 09:56    4   4  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8456    04/23 09:08    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8455    04/23 08:57    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8454    04/23 08:56    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8453    04/22 17:16    8   8  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8452    04/22 15:54    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8451    04/22 15:27    3   3  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8450    04/22 15:04    3   3  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8449    04/22 14:40    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8448    04/22 13:12    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8447    04/22 12:40    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8446    04/22 12:28    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8445    04/22 12:09    2   2  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8444    04/22 12:02    2   2  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8443    04/22 11:05    2   2  county   18622428101      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8442    04/22 10:57    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8441    04/22 10:55    4   4  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8440    04/22 10:49    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8439    04/22 10:32    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8438    04/22 10:07    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8437    04/22 10:00    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8436    04/22 09:39    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8435    04/22 09:29    2   2  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8434    04/22 09:19    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8433    04/22 07:35    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 4*
8432    04/19 16:51    1   1  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8431    04/19 16:21    3   3  njtax    610- 497-4359    NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8430    04/19 14:54    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8429    04/19 14:16    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8428    04/19 14:10    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8427    04/19 14:04    1   1  county   17325770328      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8426    04/19 14:03    2   2  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8425    04/19 13:40    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8424    04/19 13:37    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8423    04/19 13:37    3   3  accounti 908-756-1024     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8422    04/19 12:19    3   3  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8421    04/19 12:04    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8420    04/19 11:49    9   9  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8419    04/19 10:16    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8418    04/19 09:27    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8417    04/19 09:13    1   1  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8416    04/19 09:01    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8415    04/18 16:05    1   1  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8414    04/18 15:02    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8413    04/18 14:24   19  19  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8412    04/18 14:12    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8411    04/18 12:46    5   5  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8410    04/18 12:06    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8409    04/18 11:19    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8408    04/18 11:10    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8407    04/18 10:54    3   3  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8406    04/18 10:48    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8405    04/18 09:56    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8404    04/18 09:33    1   1  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*

[download]

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: How to keep running total?
by hdb (Monsignor) on Apr 27, 2013 at 14:49 UTC

    Using the date as key to a hash is key to the sums: 

    use strict;
use warnings;
my %stats;
<DATA>; # skipping headers
while(<DATA>) {
  chomp;
  my ($reqid, $date, $time, $pages, $pages_sent, $client, $phone) = sp
+lit /\s+/;
  $stats{$date}{nfaxes} ++;
  $stats{$date}{npages} += $pages;
}
print "Date\tFaxes\tPages\n";
for my $date (sort keys %stats) {
  print "$date:\t$stats{$date}{nfaxes}\t$stats{$date}{npages}\n";
}

__DATA__
Req-id  -Submitted-  npg nps  Clientid Phone number     Attmpt Result 
+att
8502    04/26 13:07    5   5  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8501    04/26 12:28    3   3  custserv 8456341521       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8500    04/26 12:26    2   2  accounti 856-853-0146     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8499    04/26 12:00    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8498    04/26 11:15    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8497    04/26 11:04    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8496    04/26 10:44    8   8  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8495    04/26 10:41   50  50  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8494    04/26 08:55    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8493    04/25 17:38    2   2  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8492    04/25 17:18    2   2  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8491    04/25 15:59    2   2  county   18622428101      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8490    04/25 14:34    2   2  accounti 856-428-5092     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8489    04/25 14:27   14  14  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8488    04/25 11:24    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8487    04/25 11:14    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8486    04/25 10:44    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8485    04/25 09:02    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8484    04/24 17:58    2   2  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8483    04/24 16:01    1   1  vsifax   609-538-0145     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8482    04/24 15:55    2   2  vsifax   609-538-0145     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8481    04/24 15:47    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8480    04/24 15:44    2   2  vsifax   609-538-0145     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8479    04/24 15:03    1   1  accounti 609-538-0145     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8478    04/24 14:23    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8477    04/24 14:07    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8476    04/24 13:19    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8475    04/24 11:51    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8474    04/24 10:42    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8473    04/24 10:02    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8472    04/24 09:33    2   2  njtax    717-735-0548     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8471    04/24 09:07    1   1  county   17325770328      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8470    04/24 08:36    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8469    04/24 08:33    2   2  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8468    04/24 08:26    2   2  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8467    04/23 17:14    2   2  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8466    04/23 14:24    8   8  county   9083530697       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8465    04/23 14:18    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8464    04/23 13:23    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8463    04/23 13:16    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8462    04/23 13:14    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8461    04/23 12:04    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8460    04/23 11:44    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8459    04/23 10:09    1   1  county   17325770328      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8458    04/23 09:59    3   3  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8457    04/23 09:56    4   4  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8456    04/23 09:08    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8455    04/23 08:57    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8454    04/23 08:56    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8453    04/22 17:16    8   8  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8452    04/22 15:54    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8451    04/22 15:27    3   3  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8450    04/22 15:04    3   3  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8449    04/22 14:40    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8448    04/22 13:12    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8447    04/22 12:40    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8446    04/22 12:28    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8445    04/22 12:09    2   2  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8444    04/22 12:02    2   2  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8443    04/22 11:05    2   2  county   18622428101      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8442    04/22 10:57    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8441    04/22 10:55    4   4  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8440    04/22 10:49    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8439    04/22 10:32    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8438    04/22 10:07    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8437    04/22 10:00    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8436    04/22 09:39    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8435    04/22 09:29    2   2  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8434    04/22 09:19    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8433    04/22 07:35    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 4*
8432    04/19 16:51    1   1  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8431    04/19 16:21    3   3  njtax    610- 497-4359    NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8430    04/19 14:54    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8429    04/19 14:16    2   2  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8428    04/19 14:10    2   2  county   9736315339       NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8427    04/19 14:04    1   1  county   17325770328      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8426    04/19 14:03    2   2  county   16093941699      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8425    04/19 13:40    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8424    04/19 13:37    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8423    04/19 13:37    3   3  accounti 908-756-1024     NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8422    04/19 12:19    3   3  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8421    04/19 12:04    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8420    04/19 11:49    9   9  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8419    04/19 10:16    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8418    04/19 09:27    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8417    04/19 09:13    1   1  county   16092619636      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8416    04/19 09:01    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8415    04/18 16:05    1   1  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8414    04/18 15:02    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8413    04/18 14:24   19  19  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 2*
8412    04/18 14:12    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8411    04/18 12:46    5   5  county   19732391138      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8410    04/18 12:06    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8409    04/18 11:19    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8408    04/18 11:10    1   1  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8407    04/18 10:54    3   3  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8406    04/18 10:48    2   2  county   16095186890      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8405    04/18 09:56    2   2  county   17323411409      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*
8404    04/18 09:33    1   1  county   19084754905      NORMAL NORMAL 
+ 1*

    [download]

    UPDATE: forgot to skip headers

[reply]
[d/l]
      Now that's the perl way of doing things! -Thanks
[reply]
Re: How to keep running total?
by jethro (Monsignor) on Apr 27, 2013 at 14:50 UTC

    First of all I don't see a reason to use a state machine. You just have lots of lines and a special action to do when the date changes. So I would throw out the variable $state completely

    Also there is no reason for the counting to be done in an else-clause. You want to count every line.

    To avoid printing the first time (when you haven't counted anything yet) just check for the empty string in date

    If you want to try it for yourself don't reveal the spoiler, otherwise here is how the loop could be done (untested):

    foreach my $line (@lines) {

  $line =~ s/\"//g;

  my ($reqid, $date, $time, $pages, $pages_sent, $client, $phone) = sp
+lit('\s+',$line);

  if ($lastdate and $date ne $lastdate) {
    print "$lastdate: $faxctr, Pages: $pagectr\n";
    $faxctr = 0;
    $pagectr = 0;
  }
  $faxctr++;
  $pagectr += $pages;
  $lastdate = $date;

}

    [download]
[reply]
[d/l]

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